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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Dom Smith

AFC Wimbledon forced to postpone second game after 'horrendous' Plough Lane flooding

AFC Wimbledon have been forced to postpone Saturday’s League Two fixture against Accrington Stanley after failing to secure a replacement ground to stage the match.

It is the second home match Wimbledon have had to move in as many days after their Plough Lane home was hit by torrential rain which caused flooding and a sinkhole to open up on the pitch.

The club’s home Carabao Cup tie with Newcastle United was postponed until October 1 and will now take place at St James’ Park.

The Dons also confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that the league encounter with Accrington would be postponed until further notice, despite “significant efforts” over the previous 48 hours to source an alternative venue for the match before the EFL's deadline for confirming avenue.

Meanwhile, a crowdfunding campaign set up to help fund repairs to Cherry Red Records Stadium was set to reach £100,000 on Wednesday afternoon.

Wimbledon fan Graham Stacey, 50, from Hook in Hampshire, set the JustGiving page up on Monday and regular donations have come in since including a £15,000 gift from Newcastle.

Volunteers spent Tuesday and Wednesday clearing the damage inside Plough Lane, with more than 100,000 litres of water pumped out of the ground.

Wimbledon fans have been advised that tickets already purchased for the Accrington Stanley game will remain valid for whenever the match is rescheduled.

The club’s managing director, James Woodroof, told BBC Radio London: “The entire stadium, the concourse, and ground floor was underwater. It was horrendous. The pitch has significant damage. We filled four tankers, which house 27,000 litres each — over 100,000 litres.”

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